July 2012 Archive

We had another great K2 test today with the 40 sqm v10 kite. Today was the first day we used the new fishing pole mast, one idea for simplifying the kite launch and reducing drag while sailing. This mast consists of just one long carbon pole instead of two, and can be disassembled after launch very quickly. We successfully launched the kite after only two tries using this mast and were able to break it down in less than a minute. Although it worked well on the second try, there was a lot of flex, which contributed to launching difficulties on the first try, and which probably means that any long-term version of this mast would need to be made […more]

Today’s test was epic. We covered the distance from Alameda to the Golden Gate Bridge and sailed all around the waterfront near Hunter’s Point and Crissy Field. We crossed under the Bay Bridge on the city side for the first time, and under the Golden Gate Bridge and back twice each. We witnessed the tail end of a kitesurfing race by St. Francis Yacht Club, and got some great photos. In an over four-hour test, the boat worked very reliably, and we hit a top speed of 29 knots with three crew members and the 40 sqm v10 kite.

We took K2 out this evening for a tow test. We towed the boat in circles in the protected area by the big ships, and stopped every so often to adjust the foils and tow again. We are playing with different pivot point locations. After towing, we also briefly tried the boat with a kite, making a few more adjustments. The wind was very light, so we did not foil while using the kite.

Another long K2 test today, this time with the 30 sqm kite, and gaskets on the bottom of the foil sockets to reduce drag. The gaskets definitely kept spray from passing through the hulls, but the expected drag reduction at lower speeds was small enough that it was hard to quantify, particularly in the choppy conditions.

We took the boat out for a long test today with Herbert Dercksen, a boat designer and world-class sailor, to get his thoughts on the design. We used the 40 sqm kite and were able to foil easily with four people. We noticed a lot of deformation in the kite, but it did not seem to affect performance. The sea state was very choppy, and the boat tended to jump through the larger waves, instead of cutting them, as it usually does. During the later half of the test, we sailed close to the Berkeley Marina, where the sea was much calmer, and practiced maneuvering. We were able to sail through a small gap in the abandoned pier, and, for […more]

We took K2 out today to test a new front line system that hides the tackle under the chair, one line to each side, instead of putting it all out in front of the chair. We also weighed the boat pre-test and post-test: dry weight was 1130 lbs and wet weight was 1155. Both numbers include kite and drysuits.